Compare towns
Rome vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Cushing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Rome | Mapleton | Appleton | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
| Appleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829 40% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.